/ Celestial Eyes — Historical Context

‘Celestial Eyes’ represents the artist Jiro Kamata’s new exploration of the relationships between humanity, the environment, and the universe — through light, color, imagery, and space. It invites the wearer to embark on a journey of discovery and exploration, opening a new chapter in contemporary jewelry art.


Goldsmiths

Jewelry from Goldsmiths is one of the oldest forms of human adornment. Owing to the inherent qualities of its materials—such as metals, minerals, and shells—and their symbolic associations, jewelry has long been regarded as a marker of social status and wealth. In many cultures, it also holds folkloric significance, believed to ward off misfortune or attract good fortune. Additionally, jewelry often functions as a medium of exchange or a store of value. These attributes have made it universally cherished.

Since the earliest days of art, many creative works have incorporated precious gemstones and metals, blending artistic expression with material worth. In ancient Greece around the 5th century BCE, artistic value began to emerge as an independent concept, particularly in painting, sculpture, and architecture. However, with the decline of Greco-Roman classical civilization and the onset of the long medieval period in the West, the idea of autonomous artistic value largely faded. Only the art of metalwork endured, its survival tied to the value of its materials and often manifesting as traditional crafts that expressed folklore or wealth.

After more than a millennium, the value of art was rediscovered during the Renaissance of the 15th century. Art flourished across mediums—wood panels, canvas, plaster, marble, and architecture—conveying profound thought and spiritual aspiration. Artistic content and innovation came to be seen as sources of insight and emotional resonance.

Even as other art forms evolved toward conceptual depth and autonomy, jewelry has largely remained anchored in its traditional craft identity. While its designs have occasionally reflected prevailing artistic movements—such as Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassicism—these expressions tended to echo developments in painting, sculpture, or architectural ornamentation. Rarely has jewelry been driven by the intrinsic properties of its materials or by the intimate nature of being worn to achieve a truly independent artistic expression.


Modern Art Jewelry

ewelry as an art form did not undergo a major transformation until around five centuries later, with the emergence of Art Nouveau, a movement led by architecture and the decorative arts. With its vibrant, flowing curves, botanical forms, and dynamic sense of rhythm, Art Nouveau introduced a striking new aesthetic to the world. At this point, jewelry began to transcend the boundaries of applied art and move toward the realm of fine art.

Soon after, pioneering artists such as Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), Alexander Calder (1898–1976), and Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) began incorporating gemstones and metalwork into their artistic practices. Their involvement not only attracted the attention of the broader art world but also reshaped the public’s perception of jewelry as something more than an object of luxury or tradition. A new domain thus emerged—Modern Art Jewelry, also known as Art Jewelry—distinct from traditional or commercial jewelry in both intention and meaning.

Left:Medaillon Vallauris © Pablo Picasso / Centre:Necklace © Medaillon Vallauris / Right:The Eye of Time © Salvador Dalí

Modern Art Jewelry represents a shift in how people relate to wearable adornment: from displays of wealth to expressions of personal taste; from appeals to social status to appreciations of artistic intention; from adherence to convention to the pursuit of inner values.

The development of Modern Art Jewelry has paralleled and drawn inspiration from movements in painting, sculpture, and installation art—such as Cubism, Futurism, Primitivism, and Constructivism. These jewelry pieces often focus on form and sculptural quality, satisfying both the aesthetic sensibilities of collectors and the expressive needs of wearers.


Contemporary Art Movement

After World War II, under the influence of an increasingly commercialized society, individuals gradually became passive consumers—absorbing a constant stream of information without pause. This shift diminished the space for deep contemplation and weakened the capacity for active critical thinking and emotional engagement. As a result, countless mass-produced consumer goods began to mimic the appearance of art, leading to a general decline in artistic discernment and taste.

In response, a group of artists began advocating for restraint in expressive vocabulary and the toning down of bold stylistic elements. Through the use of minimalist geometric forms and experimental materials, they sought to awaken the perceptual systems of the viewer (or wearer), encouraging observation, discovery, environmental awareness, and deeper reflection.

These artists recognized that in a world driven by rapid technological advancement and overflowing with information, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to slow down, contemplate values, distinguish essence from appearance, and engage in immersive appreciation. Artists from various disciplines began confronting this challenge through their respective mediums. Their work aims to restore human sensitivity and thoughtfulness, inviting viewers to actively participate and experience the diverse expressions radiated by each piece.


Alviani: Optical Kinetic Art

Within this context, the work of Italian artist Getulio Alviani (1939–2018) serves as a compelling example. Alviani employed linear forms, geometry, and color to create artworks on metallic surfaces, pioneering a movement known as Optical Kinetic Art. Through meticulously calculated processes, he engraved patterns and textures using lines and motifs that produced shifting visual images of light and color. As the viewer's gaze moved across the work, it would reflect environmental light and surrounding hues, generating optical variations due to the phenomenon of afterimage.

Alviani utilized minimalist geometric forms to eliminate narrative content, figurative associations, symbolism, or metaphor. Instead, his work activates the viewer’s visual and sensory perception, prompting contemplation of the surrounding world and an exploration of the essence of things. Through reason and perception, Alviani's work invites us to search for a new sense of order in an ever-changing world.

Cerchi virtuali - progressione in sensoorario 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8 © Centro Studi e Ricerche Getulio Alviani


Turrell: Light and Space

Another example is American artist James Turrell (b. 1943), whose background in psychology, geology, and astronomy informs his exploration of light projection and immersive experiences. Turrell designs enclosed spaces with carefully calibrated wall colors and luminous apertures, allowing natural light to enter at specific angles and times, producing mesmerizing chromatic effects. He has extended this concept through architectural interventions and the transformation of volcanic craters into naked-eye observatories, enabling viewers to experience celestial phenomena. These works represent a concrete manifestation of the Light and Space art movement.

Through minimalist forms, specialized lighting, and innovative material techniques, Turrell immerses viewers in environments of pure light and color. His work invites a heightened sensory awareness and a renewed encounter with the mysteries of nature—encouraging us to perceive the world in profoundly different ways.

Corinth Canal © Courtesy of the artist and ALIEN Art Centre